Celebrated Travels and Travellers

cond stay at Tahiti-Reconnoitring Tonga Isles-Third stay at New Zealand-Second cross

e rank of commander in the Royal Navy. But the great navigator, proud of the services he had rendered to England and to science, thought the reward less than his achievements merited. He would have delighted in an appointment as

tion of his experiences; but, being soon occupied with still more important matters, h

with Mr. Green, his calculations and astronomical solutions, were submitted to the co

l dear to the hearts of scientific men. Although obliged to admit that neither New Zealand nor Australia made part of such a continent, and that the Endeavour had navigated in

purpose. Its commander was easily selected. The nature of the voyage demanded vessels of peculiar construction. As the Endeavou

draw little water, and possess capacity for carrying provisions and ammun

e ship-builder as the Endeavour. The larger was of 462 tons burden, and was nam

eutenant of the Wallis, was raised to the command of the Adventure. The second

taken in the equipment of these ships. Lord Sandwich and

d with provisions of every k

malt, sour krout, salted cabbages, soup-slabs, mustard and saloop, as well as carrot marmalade, and thickened and unfermente

boats, each of twenty tons, intended

ter and his son George; two astronomers, W. Wales and W. Bayley, accompa

n with an immense amount of collected information, which was to contribute to the progres

avour to find Circumcision Cape, which was said to have been discovered by M. Bouvet, in the 54° southern parallel, and about 11° 20' east longitude, reckoning from Greenwich. If I found this cape, to ascertain whether it was part of the continent or an island. Should it prove the former, to neglect no opportunity of investigating i

sed my nearing the south pole as much as possible, and as long as the condition of the ships, the health of the crew, and the provisions allowed

l hoped to find the continent. Then to proceed eastward, to look for this continent, and to discover the islands which might be situated in this part of the southern hemisphere. To remain in high latitudes and t

continued his route southwards. But being shortly convinced that his supply of water would not hold out until he reached the Cape of Good Hope, he

ul to navigators. His description is the more valuable now, as these parts have completely changed in chara

on the alert to keep his crew in good health, gave orders to aerate (renew the air) in the between decks. He even had a fire lighted in order to smoke it, and dry it

ain Furneaux, and Messrs. Foster, went to pay a visit to the Dutch governor, Baron de Plettemberg, who placed all the resources of the colony at his disposal. There he found that two French s

by promising him large pay. It is difficult to praise Forster's disinterestedness under these circumstances too highly. He had no hesitation in admitting a r

hed by the Admiralty, to his sailors. From the 29th of November till the 6th of December a frightful tempest prevailed. The ships, driven out of their course, were carried to the east, to such a degree that they were forced to resume the search for Circumcision Cape. Another

er uninterruptedly. The fog soon became so dense, that the crews did not perceive a floating iceberg, until they w

the water, would have been 1800 feet, and its height about 2000 feet, and from the dim

the ic

e scene filled the observers with admiration. But this was soon succeeded by terror, upon the reflection that if the vessel struck one of these enormous masses, she must be dash

d in the horizon, prevented the two vessels from proceeding

se met on the previous days. Some thought they distinguished land under the ice, even C

of the ship. In this miserable boat, without instruments or provisions, in the midst of the wide ocean, far from any coast, surrounded by ice, their situation was dreadful. They left off rowing, lest they should get farther from the s

ys or mouths of rivers. The explorers, therefore, imagined themselves near

The captain then determined to steer an equal distance to the east. Should he not find land, he at least hoped to d

he world, the cold became daily more intense. The sailors

usual in such cases, malt and lemon-juice, which soon overcame the m

s joined to no land. He therefore decided to proceed eastward as far as

so violent, and the sea so rough, that navigation, in the midst of fl

north. There seemed every prospect of the ships being imprisoned for many weeks, "hemmed in,"

o Cape Circumcision, and seventy leagues south of the position assigned to it. Hence he concluded that if land existed as

west closed the passage for him, and he could find no opening in it. Prudence enjoined his remaining no longer in this region, for two-th

30' south latitude, and 38° 7' west longitude, very

conclude, that if there really were land in these latitudes it could o

land wa

e of early

r sailing with him. He waited in vain for two days, firing at close intervals and keepi

officer of the watch," says the narrative, "noticed that from time to time rays left it in spiral and circular forms, and that then its brilliancy increased, which gave it an extremely

s forced him to relinquish, Cook resumed his course to the north, convinced that he left no large land behind him,

d seventy consecutive days of sea, in which he had not made less than

self, generally with the plumb-line in his hand, traversed the environs of the bay. He met only a few natives, with whom he had little intercourse. But one family becoming somewhat familiarized,

, and addressed an harangue or invocation in modulated accents, to the strangers, a very general custom with the islanders of the southern sea. Scarc

this proof of affection, which had not been very pleasing to Byron in the Strait of Magellan, but the painter Hodges was forced to submit to the operation, to the amusement of the entire crew. The chief then departed, to return no more, taking wit

tiply in this little inhabited spot, and he had a plot of land cleared in which he planted kitchen garden seeds. Th

of Dusky Bay, he started for Queen Charlotte's S

ship in succession, drawing the clouds and sea into communication by their powerful suction. This phenomenon lasted three quarters of an hour, and the first

or seventeen days, but he was forced to desist before ascertaining whether it was, as he supposed, a part of New Holland. The refutation of this error was reserved for the surgeon, Bass. On the 9th of April after reac

ky Bay. He landed a ram and a sheep, a goat and a she-goat, a pig and a sow. He also planted

o room during supper, and devoured everything that was offered to them. It was impossible to

use of iron was explained to them they preferred it to glass-ware, ribbons, or white paper. Amongst them were several women, whose lips were covered with little holes, painted a blueish black, whilst vivid red formed of chalk and oil, covered the

heir faces are round, their nose and lips are somewhat thick but not

tures. They stretched out their hands, and alternately struck their feet against the ground with frantic contortions. The last words they re

and when they heard of his death, they expressed th

ves who in 1770 inhabited the Sound had been chased out, or had gone elsewhere of their free will. The number of

utensils a

to 46° S. lat. up to 140° west longitude, and if he found no land, to steer towards Tahiti, which was appointed as the place of r

ure. The Resolution escaped the scourge, owing to the precautions from which Cook never departed f

e situation which Carteret attributed to Pitcairn Island. Cook endeavoured to find i

overed by Carteret, which had not been confirmed by astronomical observations. But having no longer any hope of finding a

n the centre they contain a basin of sea water, and the depth of water all round is not to be sounded. They produce little; cocoa-nuts appear to be the best of their productions; yet in spite of this sterility, and of their sma

, discovered by Wallis, and set off for Otaiti-Piha, where he inten

and brown tints; below, a plain adorned with breadfruit-trees, and a quantity of palms in the background, overshadowing the delightful groves. All seemed still asleep. Dawn was but just breaking, and the country was wrapped in peaceful darkness. Yet we could perceive the houses amid the trees, and the pirogues on the shore. Half a mile from the beach, the waves broke over a reach of rocks level with the sea, and nothing could equal the tr

few words. One regrets not having accompanied this bold sailor, this scientist who so well understood Dame Nature! Unfortunately w

rocks, in the very sight of the much-coveted land, when a clever manoeuvre of the captain's, ably seconded by the tide an

. Those that were seen near the cabins belonged to the king, and they had no right to sell them. Several of the Tahitans begged for news of Banks and the co

ad of Otaiti-Piha, two cable-lengths from the sho

s, that they might sell it over again. To put a stop to this trick, Cook drove the perpetr

ery convenient. During their absence a crowd of natives came on board, and amply confirmed

the sea. The child at once jumped into the water and dived until he recovered them. To reward his skill, he threw other trifles to him, a generosity which tempted a crowd of m

sea, and the captain, enraged by his conduct, had shots fired over his head. A boat, sent to take the pirogues of the robbers, was assailed with stones until it reached the sho

friends from the neighbourhood of Matavai had fallen i

our for botanical research, missed none of them. In one of these he wi

her side of a large square piece of wood, were thrashing the fibrous bark of mulberry-trees to fabricate their stuffs. For this purpose they used a bit of square wood, with long pa

large cocoa-nut which they used from time to t

tion of the stuff, which being occasionally two or three yards wide and fifty long, are composed of small pieces of

to work for his bread. In Annam, in China and other countries, this singular and ridiculous fashion is common. A single

his melancholy person, who fattened without rendering any service to society, recalled Sir John Mandeville's anger at seeing "such a glutto

days in being fe

ous of seeing him, landed with Captain Furneaux, the Forsters, and several natives. He met him advancin

citously for the various Englishmen he had known on the former voyage. Cook, after the usual compliments, presented him with a shirt, a hatchet, some nails, and other trifles. B

ghteen years of age. Tall and well made, his appearance wo

was enormously stout. The king, who showed him great deference, consulted him every moment. Cook then learned that a Spanish vessel h

the English if they had a god, Waheatua amused himself with the captain's watch. Astonished at th

respect resembled the sun. Waheatua gave it the name of t

bearing cocoa-nuts and fruit. Rather than lose this opportunity of obtaining European commodities, the

board the vessels, and most of the sailors, who on reaching Osn

vaded the deck. Most of them were known to the captain, and Lieutenant Pickersgill, who ha

Oparreé. The boat which took them soon passed a "mora?" of stones, and a cemetery known as the "morai of Tootahah." When Cook calle

ins their corpse will not be their own. The chief and his wife removed the upper garments from their shoulders as they passed, a mark o

d him all that he thought he had which would please him, because he appreciated the advanta

upia and Cook's companions, although he had seen none of them. Many presents

ing of O

e of early

scarlet, rose, and straw colour, and perfumed with the most odoriferous oil. They

over the usefulness of chairs. O-Too would not taste anything, but his companions were far from following his example. He greatly admired a beautiful spaniel belonging to Forster and expressed a wish to possess it. It was at once given to him, and he had it carried behind him by one of his lords-in-waiting. A

e captain consented, hoping that he might prove useful. The moment he lost sight of land poor Pore

the morning. The natives brought quantities of large fowls, which were the more acceptable as it had been impossible t

f earlier volcanic eruptions, and the sum

of Tahiti, but is on a smaller scale, for Huahein

remony, threw himself on the captain's neck, and shed tears of joy; th

lly kept his word. However, on the morning of the 6th the sailors who presided over the traffic were insulted by a native covered with red, in war dress, and holding a

pered by the bushes and briars, he was captured by the natives, who cut his hands to possess themselves of his shirt, the sleeves of which were buttoned, until he tore the wristbands with his teeth. Others of the natives, seeing him naked and half dead, gave him their clothes, and conducted him to the market-place, where there was a crowd assembled. When Sparrman appeared in this plight, they all took flight, without waiting to

. The latter had removed their clothes, and for a while it was impossible to recognize them. Orea therefore accompanied Cook on board,

ed in voluptuousness, as had been falsely affirmed by earlier navigators, we remarked the most humane and delicate sentiments among them. There

and to invite Cook to land and assist in their punishment. It was impossible. The

ore than three hundred pigs, and quantities of fowls and fruits. Probably

England this Tahitian was presented to the king by Earl Sandwich, first lord of the Admiralty. At the same time he found protectors and friends in Banks and Solander. They arranged a f

e with the captain, and gave him all the provisions his island produced. During their stay, Poreo, who had embarked in the Resolution, landed with a young Tahitan girl, who had enchanted him, and would not return on board. He was

lands on the 17th of September, and steered for the west. Six days later, one of the Harvey Islands was

touched the captain's nose with a pinch of pepper, and sat down without spe

situated in a beautiful valley, in the shade of some "sadhecks." He served them with a liquor extracted from the juice of the "eava," the use of which is common to the Polynesian islanders. It was prepared in the following manner:-Pieces of a root, a species of pepper, were first chewed, and then placed in a large wooden vase, over which wa

ch were connected by doors formed of planks and hung upon hinges. The perfection of culture, and th

tives were friendly, and brought stuffs, mats, implements, arms, ornaments, and soon afterwards pigs and fowls. OEdidi bought some red feathers of them with much delight, declaring they would have a high value at Tahiti. Cook landed with a native named Attago, who had attached himself to him at once. During his excursion, he remarked a temple similar to a "morai," a

tago if these were 'Eatuas,' or gods. I do not know if he understood me, but he instantly handled them, and turned them

sions were procured. Before leaving, the captain had an interview with a person who was treat

, but he made no reply, and paid no attention to me. I was about to leave him, when a native made me understand that it was without doubt the king. I offered him a shirt, a hatchet, a piece of red stuff, a looking-glass,

s and a roast pig, saying that it was a present from

merly received various names from Schouten and Tasman, as, Coco

han he wished. He found time, however, to make a few observations as to the producti

coast. Of much the same form as Europeans, and equally white, the inhabitants of these islands are well-proportioned and of pleasant features. Their hair is originally black, but they are in the habit of tinting it with powder, so that white, red, and blue hair abounds, which produces a singular effect. Tattooing is

with this practice. When a friend or relation dies, they slash their limbs, and even some of their fingers. Their dwellings are not collected in villages, but are se

anchor was cast in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Cook landed a certain number of animals, which he wished to acclimatize, and set sail again to enter

ly spoiled, and that more than three thousand pounds were in scarcely better condition. During his stay here he obtained a new and still more convincing proof of the cannibalism of the natives of New Zealand. An officer had bought the head of a young man, who had been kil

raversed; but the circumstances attending her second voyage were distressing. The crew, though in good health, w

t existed. It was, so to say, a "platonic" voyage. It was necessary to prove beyond the pos

ual incidents of navigation in these latitudes were repeated day by day. OEdidi was quite astonished by the "white rain," as he ca

ad had scarcely any night, and he had seen that we could write at midnight by the light of the sun. OEdidi could scarcely believe his eyes

anced as far as 76° south, amidst floating ice. Then, convinced that if a continent

ly affected by bilious sickness, which kept him in bed. For eight days his life was in danger, and his recovery was likely to be equally pa

ent, as the Dutch had been, by the enormous statues erected on the shore. Cook says that the latitude of Easter

ance, shows traces of violent subterranean eruption. A few sca

to ask in the Tahitan tongue for a rope. This again suggested that the origin of both races was the sa

rom one side to the other, and covered with a great quantity of those long, black feathers which adorn the frigate bird. Others have enormous hats of brown gulls' feathers, almost as large as the wigs of European lawyers, and many h

paper-mulberry, the 'hibiscus,' and the mimosa, and some plantains. Close to the landing-place is a perpendicular wall, constructed of square stones, compactly and durably joined in accordance with art rules, and fitting in a style of durability. Further on, in the centre of a well-paved area, a mon

n 4to vols.), the height of this statue is given as two feet, evidently by a typographic

sh found, or this race had degenerated; for these natives paid no respect to the statues, although th

convulsion, others still imperfectly separated from the block from which they were being cut. What sudden catastrophe stopped the works? What do these monoliths represent? To what

in Easte

e of early

e water prevented Cook remaining long in Easter Island. He directed his course to the archipelago of the Marquesas of Mendana, which had not been visited since 1595. But his vessel had no sooner been put to sea th

of Easte

e of early

em in vain for five consecutive days in the different positions assigned to t

ich was full of stones, every man on board having a sling round hi

es them an almost black appearance. The valleys of our harbour were filled with trees, and tallied in every particular with the description giv

of the M

out the people, whom he considered the handsomest in Oceania. These natives appear to surpass all others in the regularity

ain of mountains of considerable elevation, to which the hills that rise from the sea lead. Deep, narrow, and fertile valleys, filled with fruit-trees, and watered by streams of excellent water, int